The Halfords are full of hope when they move into their new home. For the first time they have enough space to bring up their three children. But they soon discover that space does not solve all the family's problems. Nick's grandfather Geordie lies dying. As Nick watches, Geordie starts to relive the horrors surrounding his brother's death and his own terrible experiences during the First World War. Meanwhile, Nick and his wife Fran are trying to unite their increasingly fractious young family, despite the discovery of an obscene Victorian drawing which reveals the tragic history of their house and casts a terrifying shadow over the family.

Drawing on material only available since the opening of archives in the East, Rees re-examines the key decisions made by Stalin, Churchill and Roosevelt during the war. As the truth about Stalin's earlier relationship with the Nazis is laid bare, a surprising picture of the Soviet leader emerges, one that is embarrassing for many Russians. In World War II: Behind Closed Doors, award-winning documentary-maker and historian Laurence Rees brings us a gripping new history of World War II - one that is full of surprises, even for those who think they know the history. Drawing on material only available since the opening of archives in the East, Rees re-examines the key decisions made by Stalin, Churchill and Roosevelt during the war. And as the truth about Stalins earlier friendly relationship with the Nazis is laid bare, a devastating and surprising picture of the Soviet leader emerges one that is deeply embarrassing for many Russians. The emotional core of the book is the amazing new testimony obtained from nearly a hundred separate witnesses from the period. Former Soviet secret policemen talk frankly for the first time about their repressive work; Allied seamen reveal how they braved the Arctic convoys; and Red Army veterans talk of how they killed Germans in hand-to-hand fighting on the Eastern Front. Accompanying a major six-part BBC2 history series, this enthralling narrative is a mix of high politics including the inside story of the Allies meetings at Tehran, Yalta and Potsdam and the dramatic personal experiences of those on the ground who bore the consequences of their decisions.

Intellectual historian Georg G. Iggers examines the profound changes in ideas about the nature of history and historiography. He faces the basic assumptions upon which historical research and writing have been based, and describes how the newly emerging social sciences transformed historiography following World War II.